Since the middle ages this riverside quarter has been dominated by the Sorbonne, and
acquired its name from the early Latin speaking students. It dates back to the Roman town across from the Ile de la Cite; at that time the Rue St-Jacques was one of the main roads out of Paris.
The area is generally associated with artists, intellectuals and the bohemian way of life; it also has a history of political unrest. In 1871, the Place St-Michel became the centre of the Paris Commune, and in May 1968 it was the site of the student uprisings. Today the eastern half has become sufficiently chic, however, to contain the homes of some of the Establishment.
